April 6, 2017 3:05pm EDTApril 6, 2017 11:10am EDTPeyton Manning will go down as one of the best top draft picks in NFL history. But who else belongs in that elite group? SN explores the best of the best.Best first overall picks in history of NFL Draft

Vinnie Iyer

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Best number one picks in NFL Draft history

Peyton Manning will go down as one of the best top draft picks in NFL history. But who else belongs in that elite group? SN explores the best of the best. (Getty Images)

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10. Buck Buchanan DT, Chiefs, 1963

Buchanan, taken by the Chiefs in the AFL draft, was a fearsome presence at the heart of the run-stopping wall that helped Kansas City win its only Super Bowl after the 1969 season. Buchanan played 13 seasons with the Chiefs and was named to eight Pro Bowls. He was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1990. (AP Photo)

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9. Chuck Bednarik C/LB, Eagles, 1949

An All-American at Penn, Bednarik was one of the most impressive two-way players in league history—a punishing tackler and equally devastating blocker. In a 14-season career, all in Philadelphia, he was named to the Pro Bowl eight times. He joined the Hall of Fame in 1967. (AP Photo)

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8. Earl Campbell RB, Oilers, 1978

During the Oilers’ “Luv Ya Blue!” era, no player was more beloved than the “Tyler Rose.” It wasn’t difficult for Houston fans to embrace the Texas Longhorns Heisman winner and his passionate, powerful running style. He was the NFL’s offensive rookie of the year and the offensive player of the year in 1978. He played eight seasons in Houston and was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1991. (AP Photo)

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7. Lee Roy Selmon DE, Buccaneers, 1976

The Bucs didn’t win a game during their inaugural season, but they nailed their first-ever pick as a franchise. Selmon, the Lombardi and Outland Trophy winner out of Oklahoma, made an immediate impact. The 1979 NFL defensive player of the year, he dominated as a pass rusher and joined the Hall of Fame in 1995. (AP Photo)

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6. O.J. Simpson, RB, Bills, 1969

Simpson won the Heisman Trophy after the 1968 season at USC, but his NFL breakout year didn’t come until 1972, when he rushed for 1,251 yards behind a great blocking line. A year later, he became the league’s first 2,000-yard rusher and was named NFL MVP. Simpson, who played nine seasons in Buffalo, joined the Hall of Fame in the class of 1985. (AP Photo)

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5. Terry Bradshaw QB, Steelers, 1970

Although Bradshaw was a heralded quarterback coming out of Louisiana Tech, it took him a while to adjust to the pro game—he threw six touchdowns to 24 interceptions in eight starts as a rookie. But in the 13 seasons with the Steelers that followed, he led Pittsburgh to four Super Bowl rings, winning MVP honors in XIII and XIV. He emerged as a mentally tough passer—he called his own plays—who saved his best for when his team needed it most. He became a Hall of Famer in 1989. (AP Photo)

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4. Troy Aikman, QB, Cowboys, 1989

Drafting Aikman, an All-American out of UCLA, was a key step in assembling the Cowboys dynasty that won three Super Bowls during the 1990s. Once he got past a 1-15 rookie season, he joined Emmitt Smith and Michael Irvin in forming the core of America’s Team. Aikman, the MVP of Super Bowl XXVII, is a member of the Hall of Fame’s class of 2006. (AP Photo)

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3. John Elway, QB, Colts, 1983

After 16 seasons as the face of the Broncos, it’s easy to forget that Elway was briefly a Colt—before he used his status as a New York Yankees baseball prospect to leverage a trade to Denver. Elway, who was drafted out of Stanford, led the Broncos to victories in Super Bowl XXXII and XXXIII, being named the MVP of the latter. The NFL MVP in 1987, he was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2004. (AP Photo)

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2. Bruce Smith, DE, Bills, 1985

When the Bills drafted the Outland Trophy winner out of Virginia Tech, they said he reminded them of Mean Joe Greene, who had helped establish a dynasty for the Steelers in the 1970s. In 15 seasons with the Bills, Smith lived up to the expectations. He led a defense that went to a record four straight Super Bowls and set the NFL’s career record for sacks (200) on his way to becoming one of the most devastating edge players the game has ever seen. (AP Photo)

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1. Peyton Manning, QB, Colts, 1998

The Colts certainly made the right choice in the Manning or Ryan Leaf debate. In 13 seasons as their starter, Manning had a record of 141-67, made 11 Pro Bowls, won four NFL MVP awards and one Super Bowl MVP award. (AP Photo)